FG embraces Unilorin don's oil spill clean-up tool

Date: 2016-06-09

indications have emerged that the Federal Government has embraced the use of a local oil spill management product, developed by a University of Ilorin Professor of Chemical Engineering, Sulyman Age AbdulKareem, in its renewed efforts to clean up the oil-soaked lands of the Niger Delta.

Prof. Abdulkareem, who disclosed this in an interview with Unilorin Bulletin penultimate Thursday (May 26, 2016), said that the product, on which he received a patent in 2005, is capable of saving the country substantial amount in foreign exchange.

The renowned scientist, who was the winner of the Best Researcher of the Year award in 2005, commended the Federal Government for showing renewed commitment towards tackling oil spillage in the country through the use of local resources. Prof. Abdulkareem, who disclosed that he made the product from disposed water sachets, pointed out that "the material has the property of selectively picking up oil and organics and leaving water intact."

He said, "When I got that product, I related it to what I was doing in the United States because in the US, we were buying fresh polymers to make a material that was used for oil spill management in the West. But immediately I was able to get this product from the disposed water sachet, and investigated the properties, I was actually excited that it could be the same thing that a whole Unit was set up to do in the US and that was what started it. Of course, former President Olusegun Obasanjo gave me the Best Researcher's award in 2005, but since then even though the Federal Government showed interest; the different parastatals that I had to deal with did not show the same enthusiasm that I had or that the government had."

"Eventually, the effort of getting it forward just dwindled down, but with the advent of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, there is renewed interest in looking inward to see how we could save our foreign exchange or stop wasting our money for importing what we can make here. I think that is what the Vice-President is now pushing that has now rejuvenated or reawakened the lost interest in the product we had all along and right now, almost on weekly basis, I am going to two or three Ministries or Parastatals to again convince them we have a product that can do the oil spill management."

"I don't know how the Vice-President's Office got to know about it but since we got a letter from the Office of the Vice-President about three months ago, there have been increased interests. Actually it has gone beyond Nigeria now; we are getting calls from Ghana, from Sudan. It has been mentioned at some forum that a Nigerian could do this thing. The important thing though is that we have seen renewed interest in commercialising the idea that was first thought of as far back as 2004".

Prof. AbdulKareem, who disclosed that he had been receiving the required support for the project from the University management, said, "I am getting all the logistics and needed support no doubt; each time I have to travel either to Bayelsa or any of the ministries in Abuja or Lagos. Each time I have had to talk to the management, I have been given all the needed support. We are hoping that very soon, a contract will be drawn up and signed".

The Scientist, who is the Director of the University of Ilorin Laboratory to Product Centre (LABTOP), said, "There is no way you can avoid oil spillage and be in the oil business. But the amount is such that it should be controllable on daily basis". He noted that "it is not envisaged in a sane clime, or where things are working normally; you don't expect somebody to go and blow up a pipe. But when that happens, of course, the result will be that more crude oil will be spilled."

Source

 


Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Asa LGEA School     Aisha Ahman Pategi     Emmanuel Bello     Okala Baba     Omotosho     Hamidat Sulyman-Yusuf     Oyedepo     Saadu Gbogbo Iwe     UITH     Abdulrazak Shehu Akorede     Freshvine Nigeria Limited     KWSUED     Galland Marcias     Aliyu Adebayo     Dagbalodo     Opolo Global Innovation Limited     Imodoye Writer’s Enclave     Saadu Alanamu     Al-Ilory     Omu Aran     Charles Ibitoye     Ghali Alaaya     Offa Descendants Union     Jumoke Monsura Gafar     Kwara North     Fulani     Tanke Road     Lithium Deposit     Kumbi Titiloye     Moji Makanjuola     National Party Of Nigeria     Kassim Babamale     Saka Abimbola Isau     Al-Hikmah Radio     Pilgrims Board     Park     Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission     Okin Biscuit     Afolayan     Mumeen Lah     Jebba     Sardauna Of Ilorin     Www.Kwarareports.com     Ayoade Akinnibosun     Ajia-Bako     Ayodele Kuburat Olaosebikan     Vasolar-Kwara Company Ltd     Abubakar Baba Sulaiman     Abdulmajeed Wahab     Rotimi Atere     Alimi     Ronke Adeyemi     GRA     James Ayeni     Ibrahim Mashood     Yusuf Amuda Aluko     Fatai Olodo     Bio Ibrahim     Saliu Ajibola Ajia     Bamidele Adegoke Oladimeji     Local Government Pension Board     Bashir Adigun     Kazeem Oladepo     Academic Staff Union Of Universities     Oniwasi Agbaye     Amusement Park     Ahmed Dankaya     Saliu Alamoyo     Abdulfatai Ahmed     Salman Jawondo     Tayo Alao     Onikijipa     Saudat Abdulbaqi     Abdulquowiyu Olododo     Bamikole Omishore     Tafida Of Ilorin     Rafiu Olasile    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

3MTT     IYA ALFA NLA     Elesie Of Esie     Oko     Olatunji Moronfoye     Rashidi Yekini     Sidikat Uthman Ajibola     Mahee Abdulkadir     David Oyepinola Adedumoye     Adesoye     Yusuf Abdulwahab     Kayode Issa     COVID     Kayode Ogunlowo     Alimi Abdulrazaq     Kunle Okeowo     Yashikira     Bursary     Ajuloopin     Ghali Alaaya     Nigeria Computer Society     Suraj Tunji Oyewale     Ghali Muhammed     Ridhwanullah Al-Ilory     General Hospital     Abdulsalam A. Yusuf     ITP     Funmilayo Oniwa     Muhammad Mustapha Suleiman     Ahmed Ayinla Jimoh     Pius Abioje     Gbenga Adebayo     JAAC     NAWOJ     JMK Construction Company Limited     Ilorin Emirate     Abdullahi AbdulMajeed     Kwara Teaching Service Commission     Kayode Oyin-Zubair     Ethical College     AbdulHamid Adi     Bello Taoheed Abubakar     Idiagbon     Umar Gunu     Waziri Yakubu Gobir     Ope Saraki     Dar-Al-Handasah Consultants Ltd     Doyin Group     Folorunsho Erubu     AbdulRahman Saad     SDP     Voices Of Tomorrow     Akande Idowu Ayoola Muhammed     Abdulkarim Adisa     Falokun-Oja     Isaac Gbenle     Alabi Lawal     Ahmad Olayiwola Kamaldeen     Abdulkadri Ahmad Alaiye     Ohoro Of Shao     Abdulrasaq Alaro     Turaki     Rafiu Olasile     REO CAKES     Taofik Mustapha     Mashood Dauda     Kwara-SAPZ Project     UNILORIN Alumni     Share     CCB     Musa Aibinu     Gobir Organization Foundation     Isiaka AbdulRazaq     Ashiru     Yakubu Gobir     Wahab Egbewole     Olosi Of Osi